Of Arthurian Legend
by Just-an-Innocent-Bystander
Summary: Annabeth is sent back in time on a quest from the gods, back to the time of King Uther's reign in Camelot. She has been disconnected from Percy, who has been left in the future, wondering where on earth his girlfriend could be. Annabeth soon meets Merlin, and then the great Arthur himself. Can she stay undercover long enough to figure out the purpose of her quest?
1. Chapter 1

Annabeth is sent back in time on a quest from the gods, back to the time of King Uther's reign in Camelot. She has been disconnected from Percy, who has been left in the future, wondering where on earth his girlfriend could be. Annabeth soon meets Merlin, and then the great Arthur himself. Can she stay undercover long enough to figure out the purpose of her quest? Or will the pressure be too much? I do not own PJO or Merlin.

Merlin's p.o.v.

Arthur and I were trekking through the forest when wee heard the strangest sound. It was like a thunderstorm had descended over just one section of the woods. You could still see the blue sky on the perimeter of the storm clouds that had formed. Then suddenly, like lightning, a white light beamed down from the heavens, depositing something before it disappeared completely. Whatever was left behind was a little further off in the forest.

Arthur and I shared a look before rushing to see what it was. I could practically read his expressions, which were saying, _"What sort of sorcery could this be?"_

When we finally made it, we noticed the small clearing the storm had made. In the middle was a girl, dressed in the weirdest clothes either of us had ever seen. Before we could approach her, Arthur pulled me down behind some foliage so that we could observe her.

The light-haired girl looked to the sky, getting to her feet, and screaming, "Percy?! Percy?!"

When the sky offered no response, she looked about at her surroundings. "Oh Hades," she murmured in a trembling voice, wiping her hands on her odd trousers. The girl took a few deep breaths, and I shifted in my crouched position, unfortunately snapping a twig in the process. Arthur rolled his eyes at my evident stupidity.

The girl had whirled around toward us, her eyes seeming wild as a dagger was now in her right hand. "Show yourself!"

Arthur and I slowly stood up, not wanting to scare her more that she already was. I rose my hands to show her that I meant her no harm. Her weapon, however, remained at the ready. The two of us stepped into the clearing and she seemed to analyze us before speaking.

"Where am I?" She asked, pointing to Arthur with her dagger.

Arthur answered, "Madam, you are in the outlying woods of Camelot. Now, if you would please lower your weapon."

The girl paid no mind to Arthur's request, and instead said, "Camelot?" In a softer voice she said, " _When_ am I? What year is it?"

"The fifth century." I replied in my most calming voice. My words only seemed to make her more aggravated.

"Madam, I ask again, that you would please lower your weapon, or I shall be forced to take it from you." Arthur tried again.

The girl's eyes snapped to him. "I'd like to see you try. There is not a thing you could do to tear this weapon from my hands."

The muscles in Arthur's face hardened as he drew his sword. "I, Arthur Pendragon, prince of Camelot, do not tolerate threats toward me, especially by a woman. Now, am I going to have to fight you?"

The girl grew angrier as Arthur continued, "You do recognize me, yes? I—"

She interrupted him. "I know who you are, but I never knew you could be such an imbicile."

She was treading in harsh waters now. I looked to see how Arthur would react to such a comment, but he was already advancing towards the girl, sword at the ready.

She didn't flinch. Not once.

There were flashes of the two blades and grunts of effort on both sides. I thought Arthur would claim victory within his first few moves, but it was the girl who won. With one well-place punch, she had knocked Arthur off of his feet and pointed her dagger at him. I felt a weird aura around the knife, like it had some sort of magic about it. I realized this aura seemed to be all around the girl too. Maybe she had magic?

Arthur tried to kick the girl's legs out from under her, but she simply jumped as if she knew exactly what he would try to do. I had to step in before she really hurt him. I murmured an incantation that would break a branch of the tree above her. Again, she surprised me by diving out of the way. The branch only barely missed Arthur himself.

She looked to me, somehow knowing that I was the one to cause what had nearly hit her. She suddenly looked distressed as she reassessed the situation.

"Are you Merlin?" She asked hesitantly.

"What?" I said. How did she know my name?

"Are you…" She thought for a moment. "Emrys?"

I stared at her, dumbfounded. How could she possibly—?

"Ambrosius?"

I simply shook my head at her, not knowing what to say.

"What is your name then?" She asked, not noticing that Arthur had gotten up and was picking up his sword. He put a finger to his lips so I would not alert her to his presence.

"Merlin." I replied, not thinking of what her reaction would be.

"Oh, Styx. Why didn't you say so?" She exasperated, and pulled out something from her back pocket. It looked like some weird form of hat, with white lettering connecting the letters 'N' and 'Y'.

Just as Arthur leveled his sword at her back, she put on the hat and disappeared.

Arthur and I shared an incredulous look. Where had she gone?


	2. Chapter 2

Annabeth's p.o.v.

It had been almost a week since I had met the two most prevalent people in Arthurian Legend. Though, it appeared that it wasn't legend at all, but really history. Surprisingly, I was not shocked to find that these figures were real people. The gods were real, and so were monsters, so why not Arthur and Merlin?

I had found lodging in one of the lower towns, and had exchanged labor for food. I still had no idea why the gods had sent me here. Why? What could they gain from this venture through time? I had no answers, and I was beginning to fear that my presence was drawing the attraction of monsters. In the last two days alone, I had heard of new rumors of a dark beast that could melt into and out of the shadows. That could only mean that a hellhound was present.

Normally my aura wouldn't be enough to attract such a monstrosity, but there probably wasn't any other demigods here yet. That was a good thing too, because the masses of common folk were too ill-educated to even properly fight them off. I knew, sooner or later I would have to face the hellhound.

Today I was going to deliver herbal reserves to the upper town, where the people working at the palace lived. I knew that I would have to be more careful in my business there. If I were to be spotted by the two men I had met, then I was surely in for a lot of trouble. I wouldn't put it past King Uther, a hater of anything involving magic, to put me to death. Being beheaded or burned at the stake would not get me back home. Back to Percy.

I didn't know what to think about, because all of my waking moments were spent thinking about returning to him. But, as with every quest, you cannot return to normalcy until the task was complete. I didn't know what my task even was!

I tucked the cloak I had borrowed around me, hiding my modern clothing underneath its yards of fabric. It made me less noticeable, and I did not have to somehow purchase entirely new clothing. After my hood was up, I lifted the basket of herbs and started to walk, taking all of the main roads so that I wouldn't get lost.

Passing through the large archway into the castle courtyard, I kept my head down, though I was marveling at the wonderful architecture of this age. I paused to ask for directions to the man named Gaius, or to wherever his chambers were. The majority of herbs would go to him.

As soon as I found the right door, I knocked, keeping my head down. It was rumored that Gaius knew a great number of things. Perhaps he could help me determine how to get home. There was no answer behind the door, but I entered anyway. The room filled all of the expectations of a medieval physician's office. Unfortunately, medicine had a long way to go before it improved the length of life. I placed the basket on the worktable, and unloaded the herbs, leaving them nicely on the table.

My hood slipped off of my head as I approached a wall of shelves, absolutely stuffed with books. I trailed my hands over the hardcovers, looking at the titles. It was truly amazing how many books on anatomy this man had. Maybe medicine was further along than I had thought. I pulled one of the books off of the wall and flicked through it. I brushed stray hairs out of my face and put it back. I moved to a corner that was full of scrolls and chose the most official looking one of them all. I unrolled it and peered at the fancy writing. All of the letters were jumbled. If only they had Latin, or Greek, which would be even more preferable. I sighed in discontent.

"Can I help you?" A man's voice said from behind me. I froze and slowly turned, seeing an old man, who could only be Gaius.

"I am sorry for intruding." I replied, and rolled the scroll, tying a piece of twine around it so that it would not lose its shape. "I do not mean to offend you."

"Then what is the purpose of this visit?" Gaius asked, not moving from his spot next to the table. I motioned toward it.

"I have come to deliver your herbs. I became enthralled by your library, however." I took the basket off of the table and pulled up my hood again.

"Have we met before?" Gaius tried.

"No." I said plainly.

"What is your name then?"

I paused, trying to see if I could trust him. He looked as if he had seen a lot in all of his years. I decided that if I wanted any help I would have to trust somebody. It might as well be Gaius. "Annabeth Chase."

He nodded, "I am Gaius, the court physician."

I pursed my lips. Where could this conversation go? I opened my mouth to make a lame excuse as to why I had to leave when a tumult of screams came from outside. I didn't look back as I exited the building, running with all of my strength towards the noise.

Around me, I heard all sorts of cries, "To arms, men!", "Run!", and "What the hell is that thing?"

It could only be a monster here for me. And their mortal weapons would not be able to even harm it. I stopped when I reached the training fields, trying desperately to control my breathing before I had to dispatch the monster.

It was a hellhound.

Relatively small in comparison to those I had seen before, I wasn't all too terrified that I would die fighting it. Rather, that this demon would kill off others before I had my chance. I slipped off my cloak, knowing that it would only hinder me. My dagger fit perfectly in my hand and I put my Yankees hat on, knowing that I would be able to surprise it this way. At least, that was the plan.

The knights of Camelot surrounded the hellhound, swiping their swords and spears at it, but it did nothing. And every time someone got too close, it would jump into the shadows and reappear somewhere else. This one was the size of a grizzly bear, and boy, it looked hungry. As soon as I stepped within the fifteen-foot perimeter, he straightened, his nostrils flaring. He could smell the blood in my veins.

I blocked out the screaming around me, keeping my focus on the demon. It was odd though. Usually the monster would pay more attention to my presence. What was distracting him? I strained to see what it was.

Oh. Arthur. Merlin. Of course.

But they both had crazy futures ahead of them. They couldn't die now on my account!

I couldn't believe I was doing it, but I took off my hat, stuffing it into my back pocket. I became visible again, and the men around me shrieked.

"Over here, hellhound!" I shouted in Greek, startling the monster. I slipped back into English. "That's right. I'm the one you want."

The beast turned ferociously, and dove into the shadows. I knew that the more traveling it did, the more tired it became, but now he had the advantage of surprise. I didn't even have time to look at Arthur and Merlin's shocked faces. I heard heavy panting behind me, and whirled around, diving sideways as it tried to tackle me.

Merlin's p.o.v.

The girl was back again! She had materialized out of nowhere, brandishing her dagger and yelling in a different unknown language. Oddly, the monster had immediately reacted to her taunts, as if she were a better threat than Prince Arthur. The thing jumped into the shadows again, disappearing. The girl seemed to be able to sense it though, and with lightning fast reflexes she dove out of the way before it could pin her to the ground.

She proved to be a worthy distraction, and the rest of the knights at once tried to attack the thing. But that was the problem: their weapons couldn't harm it. Several blows that should have killed the monster just passed through its body as if it were made of air. It was like nothing I had ever seen before.

Just as Arthur was trying to give new orders, the girl jumped into action. She slashed and stabbed with her weapon, rolling and leaping like no other warrior I had ever seen before. Her style was impeccable, as though she had been born fighting. Every hit she made with her dagger actually made contact with the beast. The darker gleam of the blade would lacerate the monster's body, but no blood came out of the wound. Instead, yellow sand fell out onto the ground, parts of it getting picked up and blown by the breeze. It began to smell acrid in the area, and many men coughed at the scent the monster was releasing.

She was now on top of the thing as it thrashed wildly to shake her off. In a moment it disappeared into darkness then reappeared a few seconds later. She looked degrees paler and her hair was majorly windblown. In no less than four seconds, she brought up her dagger, and plunged it into the beast's back, slaughtering it. The monster collapsed, quickly becoming sand and darkness, all which seeped into the ground like it hadn't even been there.

And all that was left was the girl. Standing there, she stared at us and sheathed her weapon. Her hands moved to her face as she pulled the stray pieces of hair out of her eyes and mouth, all the while smearing dirt on her cheek. Blood dripped from her mouth where a busted lip remained. There was a scrape on her leg, but it didn't look bad.

As Arthur and his men surrounded her before she could disappear, she met my eyes with a hardened glance. I shivered. Scary. Her eyes conveyed the feeling that she wasn't scared, and that she had been through much worse. The only emotion that I later could see was alarm when the guards took her knife. They roughly grabbed her by her arms and forced her inside the castle walls, where she would no doubt have an audience with Uther later.

As I stood along in the now-empty training fields, all that remained were questions. _What was that beast? How had she killed it? Did she have magic like me? How did she know who I was?_

And most importantly: _Who was she?_


	3. Chapter 3

The girl was thrown to her knees in front of Uther, who frowned at her with a snarl. She only looked mildly annoyed. In fact, she showed no fear in front of him.

"Arthur. What are the crimes she has committed?" Uther asserted, folding his hands over his stomach, elbows resting on the arms of his throne.

"Well…that's the thing. She defeated the beast that has been ravaging the outlying villages." Arthur replied, seeming conflicted over the ideal.

"Then why is she awaiting trial before me?"

"She is also the maiden that Merlin and I found in the woods a week ago." He continued, keeping his hand on the hilt of his sword. Only a few of us knew the extent of her abilities, and Arthur clearly did not trust her. I was undecided. Once she had known who she was attacking last week, she had immediately stopped. She knew who we were, and she knew I had magic. But how? Now she shows up and saves everyone's lives?

The court was silent as they waited for Uther to respond. He only stared at the girl, who was becoming weary of the gawking. It was understandable. Women warriors were practically unheard of. She suddenly surprised the court, by getting to her feet. The _shing_ of at least five swords showed how she was untrusted.

"Will you be letting me go, your majesty?" Her voice showed that she was educated, yet, it bore a unique accent.

"What is your name, _girl_?" Uther shifted on his throne.

"Annabeth Chase." She continued before anyone could interrupt her. "You will not find any trace of me or my name anywhere."

"So, you are not from here?" Uther asked.

"Not anywhere that you will have heard of." Annabeth smirked lightly, as if this was some sort of joke.

"Where?"

"Would you like me to make a list of places I have lived, or where I was truly born?"

Uther rolled his eyes as she further avoided the question. "Do tell."

"My birthplace is Olympus. Next is Virginia, then Long Island. San Francisco, briefly. And then I lived on a ship for a while. Shall I go on?" Annabeth looked bored, but in her eyes, you could see the mischief. She was planning something.

At least she spoke the truth…in a way. No one had heard of the places she had listed. Except the first. It seemed familiar to me. _Olympus_. The word itself was full of, well, _magic_. Was she somehow like me?

Arthur interrupted the conversation, pulling out her weapon and a small—well it looked like a bag— of what appeared to be food. "We found _these_ on her person. The blade appears normal, and I believe this is food, though I have no idea what kind."

"You shouldn't eat that." Annabeth said. There was warning in her voice.

"And why not?" Uther began. "Is it poison?"

"To some." She answered.

"Explain its effects. Know that out court physician will look into it later."

Annabeth drew a breath in the hushed room. "To most, it will turn their blood to fire and their bones to sand."

Uther laughed. "Such an item is the result of too many tall tales. There is nothing in this world like that."

"Then it is a good thing it is not from this world. I am warning you now. Don't eat it."

"I do not like your tone. Do recall that I am king over this land, and you must respect me as such." Uther was growing angry.

"You're not the first king I've met, believe it or not." Annabeth took a step closer, not glancing at the swords being pointed at her.

"You should know how to talk to one, then."

"I'm doing it right now."

Uther stood suddenly and descended from his throne. "Perhaps you should be the one to eat this in front of us." He offered it to her, almost wanting her to inflict it upon herself.

She plucked it out of his hand, and rose her eyebrows. "If you're looking to hurt me, then that is not the method. The most that can do to me is give me a fever."

"An immunity?" He asked.

She shrugged. "Of a sort."

There was another awkward silence as everyone waited for either to elaborate. Finally, Uther shifted the conversation. "Where did you learn to fight?"

"A training camp, originally." Annabeth nodded her head in an easy way. "I gained more experience once I was out in the world."

"Oh?"

"I have been on many intensive quests—missions, you could say. And I have participated in two wars." The room became even more stiff as her eyes darkened to the color of a storm cloud. "I have seen many things. Enough for a lifetime. I can tell you the three ways I could escape from this very room, while only needing to disarm four men, all of which is simple to me, but difficult to another. I am not intimidated by you because I have faced worse, much, much worse than even the demon I killed not thirty minutes ago. So, do not pretend that you can scare me. Very little does anymore."

A nasty snarl was forming on Uther's face. The guards edged closer. Their swords did not sway Annabeth's steady stare. I shivered. Her voice had been stony. Cold, even. I did not hesitate to believe anything she had said.

"Before I go, I do need my dagger back." Annabeth added, already looking to Arthur to hand it over to her. That was never going to happen.

"You're not going anywhere." Uther replied.

"How about we strike a deal?" She offered. "You seem like the sort of people who would like that sort of thing, yes? How about I defeat one of your knights in a formal duel? If they win, I will surrender myself to your punishments. If _I_ win, I get my weapon back, and we can talk like equals."

"Only knights can challenge other knights to duels. You do not qualify." Arthur said.

Annabeth glared. "Is that simply because I am a woman? I assure you, your Royal Highness, I am undoubtedly a _worthy_ opponent."

Only Arthur and I had caught what her words had meant.

"Easy way or the hard way. Your choice, your Majesty."

If it was possible, Uther frowned harder.

"Fine. Hard way, it is."

Then all hell broke loose…again.


	4. Chapter 4

Merlin's p.o.v.

Annabeth kicked the guard closest to her, immediately dislocating his kneecap and sending him to the floor. She ducked underneath the swing of a sword and deftly caught the hilt of it and twisted the man's wrist so that he had no choice but to drop his weapon, meanwhile relieving him of a long knife that had been strapped to his leg. A moment later the man was on the floor with a long cut to his leg. Men attacked her at every angle, usually multiple at a time, yet she bore no sign of true struggle. The knights were each surprised by the cunning and risky moves she made.

I wished I could cease the fight commencing before me, but under Uther's meticulous watch, there was no way possible for me to attempt anything. Uther's eyes never left the spectacle before him. No doubt he finally understood just how powerful this woman truly was.

It took three men and a dishonorable hit to the back of her head to pin her to the floor, defeated at last. It was of little importance, however. Annabeth Chase of Olympus had established her credibility. The men lying on the floor in various states of unconsciousness were proof of that.

The guards pulled her to her feet, keeping her arms restrained tightly behind her back. A slight wince formed on her face. She said, "I do believe I have won my weapon back, yes?"

After a moment, Uther nodded to Arthur, who returned her dagger. Gaius and I both noticed the physical relief she showed upon its return. Uther looked to the rest of the great hall and ordered, "Leave us."

The knights and noblemen filed out, confused and frowning. I started to follow, as I was supposed to, but Arthur caught me arm and stopped me. I sighed silently in relief that I wasn't going to miss anything. Annabeth planted her feet squarely and began to rub at the dried blood on her face.

"What is your purpose in coming to Camelot?" Uther questioned.

Annabeth's face was unreadable. "I don't know yet. I wish I did."

"That's not an answer." Arthur said.

"Well, it's the only answer I've got!" She snapped, immediately regretful that she had lost her temper so quickly. "Look, all I know is that I cannot leave here until I figure out why I ended up in Camelot."

Her voice started out strong but had faded to a softer tone by the end of her sentence. She sounded almost…desperate. A glance at Gaius and Arthur told me that they had recognized this as well.

"I will stay out of your way. You won't hear of me." Annabeth started to turn for the doors. "I swear it by my mother's name."

Uther stood from his throne, interrupting her exit. "I'm afraid it isn't that simple anymore. Female warriors are practically unheard of and you have attacked the knights of this kingdom, a punishable offence. You are a danger to society. For that reason, you must be locked up."

Annabeth directed her attention to him again. "That is a very poor decision, I must warn you."

"Explain." Uther commanded.

A heavy silence was broken when she replied, "The monster I killed today? More will come. You have not the resources nor the training to defeat them."

"These are creatures of magic?" Arthur asked, a hand resting carefully on the hilt of his sword.

"Magic has little to do with it." Annabeth pursed her lips. "I have been fighting monsters my entire life. I don't seek them out, they _find_ me. Locking me up will only put more people in danger. You can test my logic if you want, but any blame for questionable deaths cannot be put on me. That remains with you."

Gaius inputted his opinion for the first time, "Sire, I believe she speaks the truth."

"Do you know something I do not, Gaius?" Uther didn't appear happy.

"Not at all, Sire." Gaius bowed his head slightly. I was familiar with that glint in his eye though. "I suggest a sort of compromise. Allow her to stay at the palace where she can be watched carefully. If danger becomes apparent, she can take responsibility and cease it."

Uther considered this and readily agreed. He tilted his head to Arthur, "Escort her to the Blue Room and ensure that two guards are posted outside her door."

Annabeth scoffed at Uther's precautions and I held back a smile. We all knew that she could easily take out these guards. It was a comical fantasy that Uther still believed they could be important in stopping her from doing whatever she pleased.

However, Arthur complied, putting a hand on her back to guide her forward. She stiffened at his touch, but moved as she was supposed to. I followed them out the doors and into the hallway, leaving Gaius and Uther behind.


	5. Chapter 5

Annabeth's p.o.v.

I flinched under Prince Arthur's touch. I had let only a few people get close to me in such a way, two being Chiron and Percy.

Oh, Percy. I had to stop my eyes from watering as frenetic energy coursed through my veins. Would I ever get back to _my_ time? Would I be stuck here forever without any way home? My thoughts consumed me so much that I didn't hear Arthur beginning to talk.

"Do monsters really seek you out?" Arthur asked.

"Yes. It's sort of a personal hazard, I guess." I told him. "Because of my… _lineage_ … I attract certain monsters to me. They can be killed, but only by certain weapons. What you saw me kill today is called a Hellhound."

"Do you practice magic?" Merlin butted in. Of course, he was curious. Very few people know of his abilities during this time, I reminded myself. He would be a good ally if I ever needed assistance in getting back to the 21st century, so I let him down easy.

"Not in the sense that you recognize. But I am friends with those who can do what you speak of." With a wary glance towards Arthur, I continued. "Despite the majority opinion in Camelot, not all magic is bad. In fact, the majority is good."

Arthur frowned, making a similar face to his father's. "You speak treason."

To my own surprise, I let out a laugh. "Treason is disloyalty to one's sovereign or allegiance. You and Camelot are neither."

"Where is your allegiance, then?" Arthur inquired.

"My family." I replied vaguely. "Don't act so surprised, Highness. I'm not so much a patriot as your citizens are."

Arthur paused, evaluating my words. "Patriot? I'm not familiar with that word."

I schooled my features into a blank stare. I had just introduced a word that came about during the 16th century to people from the 5th century. Who knew how much damage I was going to cause to history during my time here? I needed to get back fast. I finally answered, "It mean someone who is loyal to their country."

"So what country are you a patriot to?" He countered.

"Currently none." I said. My country didn't even _exist_ yet.

We arrived at a door. This must be where we parted ways. Before the perhaps two most important people in Arthurian history departed, Arthur ordered, "Well, you're in Camelot now. Your loyalty is now with us, whether you like it or not."

"I had a feeling you would say something like that." I replied, giving him a slight bow of my head before entering my new room and closing the door rather rudely in his face. I waited a moment before sighing heavily. So much had happened in the last few hours. I tried to distract myself by looking about the room. True to its name, the "Blue Room" had dark blue accents everywhere. I knew I was being treated with high respect by the quality of the furniture. I went to one of the three windows in the room and pushed the glass panes out so I could get some fresh air.

Less than a second after looking out told me the real reason I had gotten this room. The view from the window gave me a perfect sight of the execution platform in the middle of the entry courtyard. King Uther was warning me of what could happen. I certainly couldn't fight everyone.

I closed the window and put it out of my mind. I needed to get to a library. Maybe then I could figure out how to move forward. A knock at the door jarred me from my reverie. I quickly stuffed my Yankees hat under the mattress before calling for them to come in. A few women entered holding various objects—towels, soaps, a dress, shoes. Then came people with buckets of water.

I stood rigidly near the wall as they went about their business, evidently preparing to give me a bath. As soon as the small tub was filled, everyone left, leaving only two women with me. If there was one thing I did not want to do, it was having someone bathe me. I nearly shuddered before remembering where I was. This was probably an honor in this society.

Besides, I was pretty dirty. I hadn't had a proper washing for days. With a sigh I started to pull off my jacket.

"What are your names?" I asked.

"I am Helen and this is Lorraine." Helen replied simply. I got into the tub as fast as I could, my face getting a little red, despite the cold water. I saw Helen reach for my pile of dirty clothes. This was probably the last time I would see them. I sighed and closed my eyes. If I wanted to survive in this time period, I needed to do my best to fit in, not stand out.

I jumped when Lorraine began to wash my hair. It felt creepy and wrong, but I let it happen. I just had to adjust. The bath was longer than I wanted and I emerged with pruned fingers and toes.

When Helen and Lorraine worked together to dress me, I was suddenly relieved that it wasn't the 16th century. Thank the gods I didn't have to endure corsets. Helen brushed my hair as Lorraine laced up my new shoes. I felt strangely pampered. It was an uncomfortable feeling, really.

I thanked the two women when they were done with their tasks. I could tell they were nervous around me. They were probably glad I didn't put up a fight. Oh, how I wanted to though.

The sun was setting and I watched it from my window. It was orange and pink, hardly a cloud in the sky. A strong bout of homesickness made its way into my chest and I suddenly wanted to cry. I stopped myself from letting that happen, however. I couldn't show weakness around here. It was just too risky.

When a guard summoned me to dinner, I straightened my dark blue dress and followed without a word.


	6. Chapter 6

Merlin's p.o.v.

As soon as Annabeth stepped out of her room, I matched my steps to hers. Arthur had sent me to inform her of what her cover story would be while she remained here. I watched her behavior subconsciously and was surprised yet again by her mannerisms. When Arthur and I had found her in the forest, she had been wearing the strangest of garments—and now she treated our garb with the same foreign wonder. Annabeth traced her fingertips lightly on the fabric as we walked.

"Unfortunately, tonight is a state dinner." I began, "And your absence would be noted considering the entrance you made earlier. The King wants you to play the part of a translator or ambassador. Is there any country or language you know—?"

I was interrupted suddenly by her voice, "Greek. I know Greek best."

I controlled my features despite my thoughts. Greece was a long way from Camelot. "I will let the King know."

I nodded to her once and departed down another hallway. She seemed to become lost in thought as soon as I departed. Uther's courier wasn't difficult to find, so I relayed my information to him. I took my place behind Arthur once I had arrived at the great hall. He ignored me, as usual.

Most of the guests couldn't help but stare at Annabeth. Underneath all the grime that we had discovered her with, she was really quite beautiful. With raised cheekbones and piercing gray eyes, she looked completely aristocratic. I listened in on her conversations. The bureaucrat beside her seemed to show a great interest in her.

"Why did you decide to become an ambassador? Weren't there other options for a woman such as yourself?" He prompted.

Annabeth sat up straighter. "As a woman I had no status in Greece. I ran away from my family when I was young. I learned English quickly as I traveled. I became a translator for ambassadors along the way."

I watched, riveted, as the lies poured easily from her mouth. She was a very good liar when the situation called for it.

The man next to her continued, "And…are you spoken for?"

My eyes widened. That was very forward. They had just met! I listened for her response.

"Yes, I am."

Who was it? Almost unnoticeable, I caught a glimpse of Annabeth moving her jewelry a position over onto her ring finger. How very sly of her.

"Who, pray tell?" The man asked.

Annabeth smiled lightly, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I doubt you would know him. He is not anyone of renown."

The bureaucrat narrowed his eyes, saying, "Then, what has he offered you that a nobleman hasn't?"

"I don't believe that is any of your business." Annabeth played coy.

"Where is he now? Surely he wouldn't let you travel alone?" He questioned, flicking his eyes over the crowd of people in the room.

Annabeth's eyes became very stern. "Sir, I do believe this is sounding more and more like an interrogation."

"Madam, I—"

"And I do not appreciate those who contradict me." Annabeth smiled menacingly. At some point in their conversation, Arthur had started listening in. I knew he was impressed by the way he leaned into the back of his seat, taking a slow sip of wine from his goblet.

Speaking of wine, Annabeth wasn't having any. Her water glass was nearly empty, but the goblet hadn't been touched. Odd. Just another strange action to add to the swiftly growing list.

Annabeth's p.o.v.

I sat quietly for the remainder of the meal, waiting for it to finally be over. I needed to find a way back to the twenty-first century! It had become dark outside a while ago. My trip to a library would probably have to be postponed until tomorrow. I resisted the urge to slouch in my seat.

Suddenly, Uther stood, lifting his goblet high into the air. He called, "To an evening of revelry!"

Cheers rang out as everyone got out of their seats. Servants flooded the area to clear away the dishes and others brought in large barrels of what I assumed to be alcohol. Perhaps now I could disappear without being noticed. Keeping my head down, I slipped behind a guard and exited the hall.

I breathed easy. The aristocrat's prodding questions left me uncomfortable and made me miss Percy even more. As I traveled through the dark corridors, peeking in doors left and right, I kept a mental map of where I was. The labyrinth had taught me how to keep my bearings in convoluted surroundings.

Surely there was a library here! I stopped by a wall to rest a moment. That's when I heard footsteps from down the hallway where I had come from. I pulled back into the shadows as much as I could, praying to the gods that I wouldn't be seen.

I relaxed when I heard their voice. It was only Merlin, for Hades sakes.

"Annabeth?" He said. "I know you're here."

I stepped out where he could see me better. "I should have known you would follow me."

Merlin appeared confused for a moment before the emotion flitted away from his face. He held a candle in one hand, casting a wobbly glow over his lower facial features. It reminded me of the bonfires we used to have at Camp.

"What are you doing?" Merlin questioned. "You could get in a lot of trouble."

Recalling all the lore I knew about Merlin, I knew he was no stranger to trouble. "You're one to talk."

He rolled his eyes. "But I work here."

I sighed. "Look Merlin, there's a lot you don't know about me and—"

"I know a few things." He contradicted. "I know our customs and clothing here make you uneasy. I know that you don't speak like us. And I know that there is a magical aura around you, like—"

"Shh!" I quieted him, then began whispering. "You're very perceptive. I'll explain everything later, I promise. But right now, I think someone is coming."

Merlin heard the footsteps too. Pushing me further down the hallway, I was soon shoved through a door before it was closed from the outside. I was left alone while Merlin dealt with whoever had decided to wander through the deserted part of the castle.


End file.
